Framed
by XxXxDarkVampirexXxX
Summary: Naoto returns to Inaba after a year to investigate a new murder case. How will she react when she finds out the police are suspecting Kanji Tatsumi? There's no way he could have done it...right? Being redone. Chapters 1-8 rewritten and reposted.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Okay, I can't believe I haven't updated in over a year. I honestly forgot about this fic, but now that I went through it again, I thought I should rewrite the entire thing. Those of you who've been reading the original, I hope you'll still like it. The plot's still the same, just a bit more detailed is all. The chapters are still indecently short though.**

**Also, since I've never said this before, there are spoilers to the main plot of Persona 4 in this. And since I began writing this forever ago, please disregard P4 Golden. I will however be using the name Yu Narukami, since it's a boss name. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters...**

The day was cloudy and breezy in the never changing town of Inaba, and a seventeen year old girl (who seemed to be dressed as a boy) stepped into the local police station. She spoke to no one, but glanced around curiously, evidently trying to locate either someone or something. A moment later, she found what she was looking for. Adjusting her denim cap, she approached a tall man clad in a grey shirt.

"It's nice to see you again, Dojima-san," she said.

The man turned around, a look of surprise on his unshaven face. "Shirogane? What the hell're you doing here?"

Naoto Shirogane took no offence by the not so happy greeting, and simply smiled slightly. "The Inaba Police Department has requested my aid on a particular case," she explained.

Ryotaro Dojima frowned. "And which case would that be?" he questioned.

"The Otonashi double homicide."

"...Ah. That one."

Naoto's trained eye caught the odd look that passed over the man's face. "Is there a problem with me being here?" she asked smoothly.

Dojima shook his head. "Not at all, no. I was just curious to why you suddenly came here to help on this case."

"The call was completely unexpected," admitted the girl. "I myself did not ask for this case, but the one who called me said that you'd taken it and that your caseload was already so heavy, that he'd be pleased if I were to come help. Since I'd been looking for an excuse to drop by anyway, I accepted happily."

Dojima nodded this time. "Makes sense," he muttered. "I guess you can say I've been a bit...down since the incident last year. And I've refused to have another partner too, which I know isn't helping me at all."

Naoto sighed softly. "I can only imagine how it must have felt. I'm sure it'll take quite a bit of time before you can put your trust in another person like that. That being said, I truly am glad to be here, and if I can help you on this case in any way, I'm happy to do so."

"I've seen your work first hand, Shirogane, and I know you'll get it done just fine on your own. It's just that..." he trailed off, looking uncertain.

"It's just what, Dojima-san?" It was not often that this man broke off mid-sentence like that. Something had to be wrong.

"I've already begun working the case, and I have a suspect in mind."

"Well, that's a good thing, is it not?"

Dojima nodded once. "Yes, but the thing is, I personally don't feel he can be the killer."

"And why is that?"

"Because it's Kanji Tatsumi."

Naoto froze at these words. "...Kanji-kun? Are you sure?" She just couldn't believe it. There was no way Kanji could be a murderer. Especially after what had happened the previous year!

The man, seeming to notice her inner conflict, simply nodded again. "Come with me," he said suddenly. "I've got the file in my office."

He led her around a series of bends and finally into a small room. It was rather bare, and definitely smaller than it needed to be, but he didn't seem to mind. Naoto couldn't help but smile when she caught a glance of the photographs on the desk. One was of his daughter, Nanako; one seemed to be of his deceased wife, himself, and a very young Nanako; one was of himself, Nanako and Yu, his nephew. Naoto knew that this man cherished family above everything else, and that it was Yu who had taught him to see that.

After searching around his paper strewn desk, Dojima finally found the file he was looking for and silently handed it over to the girl behind him. Neither of them spoke as she quickly began to go through it, mentally filing all the information as she did so.

_Double homicide. Victims: Shuuhei and Asa Otonashi. Married couple, mid thirties. COD: single gun shot wound to the chest. Slashes on the body were likely made by a broken beer bottle. Glass removed confirms. TOD: around twenty thirty. No witnesses. The gun hasn't been found. Prints taken from the broken bottle match to Kanji Tatsumi, second year student at Yasogami High. Tatsumi has a record. Hasn't been questioned yet._

Finished reading, Naoto looked up at Dojima, who had been watching her carefully. For a moment, Naoto wasn't sure what to say. The only reason Kanji was a suspect was because of the fingerprints found on the broken bottle, but it wasn't the slashes that had killed the couple, it was the gun shot wounds. Couldn't it be possible that the killer had simply used a bottle that Kanji had conveniently discarded?

"You want to take over the case, Shirogane?"

A rare look of surprise crossed Naoto's face. "Are you being serious, Dojima-san?"

An even rarer smile appeared on Dojima's face. "You're a good detective, Naoto," he said, surprising her once more with the use of her first name. "After what happened last year, I'm not going to doubt your abilities. But there's one thing you have to swear to me."

Naoto hesitated. "And what would that be?"

"You can't let your feelings for Tatsumi to get in the way of the investigation."

"...Feelings?"

"He's your friend, isn't he? And he's been your friend since last year, since Yu was around."

The girl suddenly felt relieved, though she wasn't sure why. "Right... Well, that isn't something you need to worry about, Sir. I have been doing this for a long time now. I know not to involve personal feelings with cases. But I know Kanji-kun doesn't have much trust in the police... I know he will speak to me." She hoped she didn't sound insulting, but she knew she was right.

Dojima however, chuckled. "He's not the only one who has a dislike for the IPD."

"I know."

"Alright then. The case is yours. You'll be reporting to me and only me, but you're free to make whatever calls you want."

"Of course, Sir." She had no qualms against these terms.

"I guess it's a good thing you're here then, Shirogane. The gang's all back together, huh?"

Naoto paused. "I beg your pardon?"

Dojima looked at her, confused. "Didn't you know? Yu's coming back to visit too. He should be arriving later today."

"Oh." She couldn't hold back her pleased smile. "That's fantastic."

Dojima clearly agreed. "Nanako's ecstatic about it."

Chuckling, Naoto thanked the man and with that, headed out to find her friend, preparing herself to prove to the world that he wasn't a cold blooded killer...

**So what do you guys think about the new first chapter? Better than the last, right? Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Yo. Here's the new chapter two. It's only a little bit longer than it was before, though it's definitely shorter than the previous chapter, so I apologize for that. Thanks to all readers so far.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters...**

After leaving the police station, Naoto spent a moment pondering on where she might find Kanji. Since it was currently a holiday, he obviously wouldn't be at school. There was a chance that he'd be at Junes, but it was more likely that he'd be at home, and if not home, then at least in the Shopping District. Once she'd made her decision, Naoto headed off.

Naoto stepped into the Shopping District, and looked around with a smile on her face. The place hadn't changed at all. It was a little busier than the previous year, which did please her because it meant that the 'war' between the Shopping District and Junes must have ended.

Shaking her head to clear away the memories and focus on the task at hand, the girl made her way over to Tatsumi Textiles. With the place being not only his home but the family business as well, there was a larger chance of finding Kanji there. And if he wasn't around, then she could always ask his mother.

Entering the shop, Naoto noticed that Kanji's mother was busy with customers. Not wanting to butt in and disturb anyone, she stood back politely to wait. As the business was conducted, Naoto glanced around the shop, taking in the sight of the plush dolls lining the walls. It seemed Kanji had finally decided to sell them, and the thought brought another smile to the denim capped girl's normally impassive face.

"I apologize for the wait," said Kanji's mother a few minutes later, once the customers had cleared off.

"That's quite alright, ma'am," nodded Naoto, approaching. "I'm glad to see business taking off like that."

The woman laughed lightly, a pleasant sound filling the room. "You can thank that stubborn son of mine. He finally consented to putting his dolls up for sale and they're quite a big hit. Especially amongst women and children." She had a proud smile on her face. "Anyway, have you come to see Kanji, Naoto-kun?"

"Yes. I need to speak to him and it's rather important. Is he here right now?"

"He isn't, no. But I believe he said he was going to Aiya."

Naoto frowned. "Aiya? Are you referring to the Chinese restaurant down the street?"

"Yes, that's the one. I'm sure Kanji's there," smiled the older woman.

Thanking her, Naoto left Tatsumi Textiles and made her way down the street to Aiya. The restaurant was packed but it wasn't all too difficult to spot Kanji amongst the crowd. He was the only one with bleached hair, making him stick out rather well. Glad that there was an available seat, the girl moved to sit down next to her friend...who still hadn't noticed her, engrossed in his food as he was.

"Kanji-kun."

Kanji looked over at her so quickly that he seemed to crick his neck. "N-Naoto!? The hell're you doing here? I didn't know you were back in town." He rubbed his neck as he spoke.

"I've only just returned," replied the girl. "I'm helping the Inaba Police Department with a case. One Dojima-san was assigned to."

"Oh. Huh, I guess you'll be busy then. Sucks."

Naoto could only nod, wondering how she was to tell Kanji that he was suspected of murder. It was so much harder to do this when it was a friend. The silence was slightly awkward, and the blond teen slowly returned to his food, while Naoto remained in thought. How was she possibly going to do this?

"Kanji-kun, can you come with me?" she requested suddenly.

Kanji looked at her. "Sure, where to?"

The girl bit down on her lip, hesitating, and didn't notice the flush that crossed her friend's cheeks. "To the police station," she said slowly.

Kanji stared. "The police station...? What the hell? Why?"

"I will tell you when we get there. It is very important and I would rather not discuss it here in public." Yes, that had to be good enough. There was no way she was going to tell him the truth here in the restaurant. She wasn't sure how he would react, so a private place was definitely better.

There was a pause before Kanji finally spoke. "...Alright. Let's go then." Leaving the rest of his food uneaten, he got to his feet.

Naoto followed suit and together the two left Aiya, silently making their way over to the police station, both teens lost in their thoughts...

**And that's it for now. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yo. Here's the next one. It's definitely longer than it was last time...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters...**

When Naoto and Kanji reached the police station, they didn't stop to talk to anyone. Naoto knew exactly where to go and she led Kanji into an interrogation room. The place only had two of them, and with one being occupied, there was no question to where they had to go.

"What're we doing here?" asked the boy curiously. He was looking around cautiously, naturally never having had any good experiences in an interrogation room before.

"Please wait here for a moment," said Naoto. "I will be right back." She turned and left the room, leaving Kanji alone. Despite having been told she could do whatever she wanted, the girl still wished to speak to Dojima, even if to simply tell him that she had managed to bring her friend with her.

Quickly, she made her way to where she remembered the man's office was located. The door was open and the detective was seated behind his desk, shifting through multiple files. Naoto knocked on the door jamb to get his attention.

"Come in," said Dojima rather absently.

"I apologize for disturbing you." Naoto stepped into the small room. "I thought it would be best to say, I brought Kanji-kun in, and we will be using Interrogation Room B for the time being."

Dojima gave a nod. "That should be fine. I don't think anyone other than Takahashi needs an interrogation room, and I know he should be in A right now anyway." He paused, lowering the files in his hands. "Have you told him yet?"

"...No." The girl pulled off her hat and absently ran her fingers through her hair. Replacing her hat, she went on. "It is more difficult than I had thought it may be," she admitted. "I know this is a job I must do, however Kanji-kun is still a close friend and I do not wish to harm what we have."

There was a long pause. "You're good at what you do, Shirogane. Suck it up."

Blinking, Naoto looked up at the man, who was now standing in front of her. She hadn't even noticed him get up. "Sir?"

"How often did you allow personal feelings get in the way of other cases? How often did personal feelings get in the way of last years case? I know they did, they had to have, but you suck it up and shove them down. Those feelings will always be there, Naoto. You really just have to ignore them and focus on the case."

Naoto nodded slowly. "I understand. ...Thank you."

"Will you be able to question Tatsumi?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation any more.

"Good." A small smile appeared on the man's unshaven face. "Now get to it."

"Yes, sir." Naoto left Dojima's office and returned to Interrogation Room B. Stopping outside the door, she took a deep breath.

"W'as going on?" questioned Kanji the moment she entered. He had a look of confusion on his face, and perhaps a hint of anxiousness.

Hating, but knowing she had to do this, Naoto replied. "Kanji-kun...you're here as a murder suspect."

There was a very long, almost comical pause. Neither of the teens said a thing. It was so quiet that all that could be heard was Detective Takahashi yelling at whoever he was questioning in the room over.

"What?!" Kanji jumped to his feet, eyes wide with pure shock. Clearly whatever he had been expecting, it hadn't been this.

Trying to push her emotions back down, the girl spoke again. "Please sit down. Let me explain."

"You'd better," muttered Kanji, obviously more than a little angry.

Naoto waited until Kanji had sat down before doing so herself. "I need to, for formality, read you your rights."

Kanji's eyes, if possible, widened even further. "You're _arresting _me?!"

"I never said that. It's something I must do, otherwise I could get in trouble."

"Fine."

Naoto read the rights, then asked her friend if he understood them, hating herself. When she received the stiff, but affirmative response, she went on.

Flipping open the case file, she pulled out the photographs of the victims, placing them in front of Kanji so that he could see them. She saw his eyes widen again, saw, with some guilt, how his face paled dramatically. "These are the victims, Kanji-kun. Shuuhei and Asami Otonashi, a married couple in their early thirties."

"H-how'd they die?" asked Kanji, voice hesitant.

"They were shot in the chest."

"And you think _I_ shot them?" demanded the blond.

"No. At least, there's no proof of that at the present time. However, those slashes that you can see on the photographs? Those were made by what was identified as a broken beer bottle. Your fingerprints were found on that bottle."

"The hell? But I didn't do anythin'! I don't even know these people!" exclaimed Kanji desperately.

Just watching her friend, Naoto knew she wasn't about to get anything actually useful out of her friend. He was far too angry to cooperate at the moment. Sighing, she told Kanji to remain where he was, and she stepped out of the room. She could legally keep Kanji in there for forty eight hours, even with a lack of evidence.

Bumping into Dojima, she told him about what had just occurred, and received the response that she had made the right choice in leaving Kanji alone for the time being, giving him a chance to cool off.

"Would it be possible for me to visit the crime scene?" asked Naoto after a moment of silence.

The man shrugged. "You can go, but everything's been contaminated. It rained the night before you got here, and it washed everything away. I'm sure we managed to get everything we needed from there though."

"I see..." Naoto frowned. "If you don't mind," she said slowly, "I'd like to step out for a while. I want to run things over again."

"Of course, go ahead," nodded Dojima, a knowing look on his face.

Naoto tanked him and left the police station, unconsciously making her way over to her favourite spot in Inaba; the rooftop food court at Junes. She headed over towards the table she and her friends used to sit at a year ago. She smiled slightly as she remembered what they had called the table, and the many things they had discussed while seated around it.

The girl blinked in surprise when she caught sight of someone already seated there. A young man with a head of silver grey hair...

**And that's it for this chapter. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Yo. Here's the next one. Still on the short side, about the same as it was before, but it still sounds better.**

Naoto approached the usual table, a smile on her face. "Yu-senpai!" she exclaimed happily. Yu Narukami had been their leader in the case the previous year, and a good friend who had helped her accept herself for who she was.

Yu looked up, a look of surprise flickering across his face. "Naoto, I didn't know you were in town."

The girl sat down at the table. "Dojima-san told me that you would be arriving, but he didn't say when. When did you get here?"

"A few hours ago," replied Yu with a rather casual shrug. "What about you?"

"The same as you. We may have been on the same train and not even realized it."

Yu smiled and Naoto attempted to return it. She realized immediately that she had failed.

"Is something wrong?" asked Yu a mere second later.

The denim capped teen shook her head. "It's just the case I'm working on," she said almost reluctantly.

"You're here for a case?"

Naoto nodded and glanced around. The food court was fairly empty today, lessening the chance of someone overhearing something. "The IPD requested my help," she explained. "I just...I had no idea who the suspect would be."

Yu, being the sharp young man that he was, noted the distressed look on the girl's face. And though he didn't really speak much, he knew he had to find out what was going on. Besides, he wasn't completely clueless when it came to police cases. Not after last year. "Are you allowed to speak about it?" he asked, aware that that was usually the biggest issue.

Naoto looked at him, pondering. "Well, no, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to receive some extra help. Dojima-san has given me full reign over the case."

"Uncle Dojima?" inquired Yu in surprise.

"Yes, and I have no problem with that. It's just...the current suspect is..." she trailed off.

"Naoto."

"It's Kanji-kun."

A look of pure confusion crossed over Yu's face. "Kanji...? Are you sure? I mean, it's _Kanji_."

Naoto gave a nod and began to explain the murder case and how exactly it revolved around Kanji. While she spoke, Yu sat there, listening silently, focusing on her intently. He, like Naoto, could not believe that Kanji of all people could be a killer. He had gotten to know the younger boy the previous year, and had learned that looks weren't everything.

Kanji was harmless, well, most of the time anyway. Yu knew that he would never hurt anyone, not without a good reason, and he'd never ever go as far as to actually kill someone. That too had been demonstrated the year before, and no, Shadows didn't count.

The grey eyed teen waited until his friend had finished explaining, opened his mouth to speak, and was immediately cut off.

"Yu! Naoto-kun!" called a male voice.

"Yu-kun! Naoto-kun!" came two female voices.

"Senpai! Naoto-kun!" called a high pitched female.

"Sensei! Nao-chan!" came a higher pitched male.

Yu and Naoto barely had time to blink in surprise before they found their table surrounded by people. Yosuke Hanamura, Chie Satonaka, Yukiko Amagi, Rise Kujikawa, and Teddie were all standing around them, panting as though they had run a mile...which some of them had probably done.

Everyone sat down and exchanged happy greetings, though Naoto and Yu didn't comment when they were casually asked where Kanji was. He was the only one missing after all.

"So," said Yosuke finally. "What's up?"

They had already caught up and exchanged news, and now it was time for Naoto to tell the others about Kanji, which was something she both did and did not wish to do. She knew it would be best, but she was still hesitant. They had saved the entire world last year. If they could do that, then helping their friend should be an easy feat, right...?

**And that's it for this chapter. Like I said, this one was still fairly short, but meh. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yo. This too is on the shorter side as compared to some of the others. Thank you to all readers thus far, and anyone who may have reviewed. I hope you're enjoying this version as well.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters...**

As if sensing her hesitation, which he probably was, Yu looked at Naoto, silently assuring her that it was alright for her to tell the others, to ask them all for help. And that was just what the girl did.

The group focused on her, momentarily surprised by the sudden request.

"Sure," said Yosuke immediately, "what's up?"

Naoto then took the next little while explaining the case to her friends. It took far longer than before as, unlike Yu, the rest interrupted her many times while she spoke.

There was a very long silence when she finished her explanation, and they all stared at her, disbelief written all over all their faces. It was Rise who broke the oppressive silence, voicing the same thing that was on all their minds.

"No way!" And that was not one of those good no-way-I-can't-believe-it, rather, the no-way-I-can't-believe-it-are-you-freaking-kidding-me?

Yukiko was the next to speak, her soft voice full of total confusion. "How can they be suspecting _Kanji-kun _as a _murderer_?"

Naoto decided to explain. "Do you recall when I said there were many gashes made on the bodies?" she waited until they nodded before she went on, "they were made by a broken beer bottle that had Kanji-kun's fingerprints all over it."

Silence resumed, making the cheerful laughing of a nearby child sound strangely out of place. They all just looked at each other, all trying to digest this unwelcome information.

"Kanji wouldn't do that though," said Teddie suddenly. He had learned much about the outside world since the end of the previous year's case, and knew exactly what would happen if a person was convicted for murder.

"Yeah," Chie agreed with a nod.

They focused on Naoto again. "You questioned Kanji already, right? What did he say?"

The capped girl didn't even have to think back to be able to recall what Kanji had said. It was all still right there at the front of her mind. "When I told him what he was suspected of, he was completely and genuinely shocked. I showed him pictures of the victims, and he claimed he had never seen them before. He was adamant that he had nothing to do with any of this."

"Huh...and do you believe him?" asked Yosuke, folding his arms across his chest.

"I do," replied the girl with a nod. "I am _positive_ that he is telling the truth." She sighed. "After last year's case, I have learned not to trust people on blind instinct, but I'm positive that Kanji-kun is definitely telling the truth."

Yet another silence followed, and the teens could hear mothers calling for their children, telling them it was late and time to go home for dinner.

"Do you think someone framed him or something?" wondered Chie, tossing out another one of her random suggestions.

Immediately everyone looked at her in surprise, Yosuke nearly choking on his drink.

"That has to be it," said Rise in a surprisingly soft voice.

"Yeah...there's no other explanation," agreed Yukiko, tone equally slow and soft. Obviously there _was_ another option, one that they didn't believe at all.

"If there's another killer, one who's framing Kanji, who can it be? And how did they get his prints on the bottle?" inquired Yosuke, simply thinking aloud.

"It is possible that the killer merely took the bottle from the garbage," suggested Naoto. "However, I wasn't aware that Kanji-kun drank alcohol. He is, after all, under age."

Surprisingly, it was Teddie who answered this. "He drank a few times, but he stopped after we beat Izanami. He said he didn't need to any more."

"Teddie, how do you know this?" asked Chie slowly, curiosity written all over her face.

The blond just shrugged. "Kanji mentioned it a few months ago when we were eating Topsicles...but he told me not to tell anyone."

Naoto looked down at the table in thought. "I need to speak to Kanji-kun again," she murmured.

Yu gave a nod, clearly in agreement. "You should clarify these things so we have more to go on."

Yosuke failed to hold back a laugh. "Well if Yu's saying this, it's gotta be the right thing."

"It's getting late," said Yukiko suddenly, looking up at the darkening sky. "I need to go back to the inn."

"You're still helping out there, senpai?" asked Naoto curiously.

Yukiko nodded with a smile. "Yeah, it's more...fulfilling this time, since it's my choice this time."

Naoto smiled slightly. "That's good." She glanced up at the sky as well, noting that the sun had already set. "I suggest we meet up here once again tomorrow." Hopefully she'd have learned more about what was going on.

"Sure thing!" exclaimed Rise happily.

After a few more minutes, the group split off for the night, all heading home. Only Naoto remained where she was, thinking things through. Sighing, she made her way back over to the police station, intent on speaking to Kanji again before she got some rest.

When she bumped into Dojima, he asked her where she'd been, and she told him honestly. She was a little surprised when he didn't tell her off. Instead, he gave her a warning to make sure her friends were careful with what they were doing. They couldn't afford for the case to be screwed up because of some teenagers.

After being told where Kanji had been moved to, she and the man headed their separate ways, leaving Naoto to speak to her friend all on her own.

**And that's that. Dunno when the next chapter will be up. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yo. Here's the next chapter. Still working on the rest. Thanks to all readers so far...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters...**

When Naoto entered the room Kanji was in a few minutes later, she found him laying on the bed, absently staring at the ceiling with a glower on his face. Clearly he was unhappy with the whole situation, which really wasn't all that surprising. She'd be too, if she was in his place.

Seeing he was so out of it that he hadn't heard her come in, the detective called out and watched as he quickly sat up, as if unwilling to be caught in such a vulnerable position.

"Naoto! What're you doin' here?" he questioned, evidently surprised, and clearly not having expected her to return this soon.

The girl took the chair from the nearby table, and set it down across her friend, where she then sat down too. "Kanji-kun," she hesitated. "There are some things about this case that I'd like to clarify."

"Like what?" demanded Kanji, quickly firing up in indignation. "I already told you that I didn't do anything!"

"I know," said Naoto quickly, wishing to placate him before the police guard outside was alerted, "and I believe you."

The effect was instantaneous. "You-you do?" Kanji asked, surprise all over his rapidly calming face.

"Yes, I do. And our friends helped me see why."

The blond blinked in confusion. "Friends?" he asked, as if he had forgotten the very meaning of the word.

"Yu-senpai and the others," explained Naoto. "We happened to meet up earlier, and I told them what was going on."

"S-seriously?" Kanji stared, eyes wide and almost hopeful, not that Naoto could blame him.

The capped teen simply nodded. "I told you before that you're fingerprints were found on the broken beer bottle used in the attack? Teddie told us you used to drink."

"That damn bear," Kanji cursed under his breath. "I told him not to say anything."

Naoto smiled slightly. "He said that you stopped though, after that fight with Izanami last March."

"Yeah, I stopped. Never drank another sip. It always bothered Ma, so..." he trailed off.

_He stopped drinking months ago, huh? Chie-senpai's theory is already making more sense."_Then think Kanji-kun, if you no longer drink, then _how_ did your prints get on that bottle?"

"What're you trying to say?" asked Kanji slowly, as he tried to process what his friend was saying.

"I think you've been framed for murder," replied Naoto bluntly.

Just as when Kanji had been told about being suspected as the killer, there was a very long silence. Takahashi was still yelling at whoever was with him in the interrogation room over, making that the only sound in the area. Staring, wide eyed at Naoto, Kanji blinked, then blinked again.

"Framed...?" repeated the blond. "The hell? Why would someone frame me?"

"I'm afraid I do not know," said Naoto, wondering the very same thing. "However, I am positive that this is exactly what happened." She paused for a moment. "I know you Kanji-kun, and I know that you could never do something like this, especially after what nearly occurred with Namatame." She was obviously referring to the time when they all nearly killed the man while blinded by anger and hate after Nanako's 'death'.

"So then...what're we gonna do?" asked Kanji finally. "Aren't they gonna hold me here until you prove it or something?" He'd been through this before-not for murder though-and knew how it worked.

Naoto inclined her head. "Yes, that is what the police will be planning on doing, and that's exactly why I told Senpai and the others. We solved that case last year, we'll solve this too. We will find the real killer and get you out, so please don't worry," she added in a surprisingly gentle voice.

"A-alright then," said Kanji, cheeks looking a little pink. "I guess I'll leave it to you then...but, uh, don't take too long, yeah? I seriously hate it in here."

Naoto laughed lightly. "Of course." She sobered then. "Oh, and I'm going to advise you not to speak about this to anyone. It would be...unwise."

"Why?"

"I don't want our friends to get in trouble because they're helping. And, well, after last year..."

Kanji understood. "Because of Adachi, right? Yeah, I get it."

There was another pause, when Naoto suddenly remembered that she hadn't asked her friend one of the most important questions. "Again, for formality sake, I need to know where you were at eight thirty yesterday evening."

The blond thought for a moment. "I was at the Samegawa River," he said once he'd remembered. "Ma had a friend over, Yukiko-senpai's mom I think, and I didn't want to butt in, so I left and went to the river instead."

Naoto made a note of this. "Was there anyone with you? Or did anyone see you?"

Kanji shook his head. "Nah. It was one of those overcast days yesterday, and it was pretty windy, so being near the river wasn't really safe."

"Ah, yes I remember from last year. The River Plain is practically deserted on these sort of days." She sighed. _But that also means that no one can verify his alibi. _"Can you think of anyone who may have a grudge on you currently?"

"Not really," muttered Kanji. "I mean, a lot of people don't like me, mainly bikers and gangsters, but they've been pretty quiet lately."

The girl noted this down too, making a mental addition to confirm what Kanji had just said with Dojima-san. "Alright, thank you, Kanji-kun. This is helping the case more than you think."

Seeing this was all that was needed at the moment, he managed to smile a bit. "Go solve this case."

"That I will." Naoto got to her feet and replaced the chair she had been using. "I'll see you soon."

"Y-yeah."

Naoto then left the room and headed home for the night, feeling rather guilty that there was nothing she could do immediately.

**And that's it for now. Dunno when the rest will be up, since I'm still reworking those. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yo. Here's the next edited chapter. Almost caught up now. Thanks to all readers so far...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters...**

Naoto, unable to sleep properly, woke up rather earlier than planned the next morning. Freshening up and getting dressed as she always did, she prepared and ate her usual breakfast. She was alone, something which was also normal. While she ate, she thought of her current case.

_Kanji was framed. He must have been. His fingerprints were found on the bottle used to slash up the bodies. They died because of gunshot wounds though. The gun has not been found. If it ends up being found, will his prints be on it too? If they are, then it'll be hard to prove that he didn't commit this murder. That bottle is already troubling enough. How exactly did he get Kanji's fingerprints on the bottle in the first place? _

Finished with her breakfast, Naoto headed back over to Junes. A new thought had popped into her head, and she wanted to run it by the others before acting on it. She knew they would help her clear up her thoughts and ideas, they always did.

It wasn't long before the entire crew was seated around their Special Headquarters. "How is Nanako-chan doing?" asked Naoto, wanting to finish up the formalities first. Besides, she, like all of them, truly cared for the little girl.

Yu smiled slightly. "She's doing great. She says she wants to see you, Naoto."

"Hm, I'd like to see her too." The detective knew the others had always made sure to visit the child, but as she hadn't been in the town recently, she obviously hadn't.

"So, did you talk to Kanji again?" wondered Yosuke. Time was, after all, of the essence.

"Yes, I did," replied the denim capped girl with a nod. "When I told him we figured he's being framed, he seemed genuinely confused. I highly doubt he knew what was going on. He's very adamant about his innocence in the matter."

"So, he doesn't know who it could be then?" asked Chie.

"No. He does not seem to think anyone is harbouring a grudge that is bad enough to call for something such as this. However, I'm beginning to think it may be someone Kanji-kun is acquainted with. Someone more than simply a passing stranger."

"Wait, you think it's someone Kanji-kun knows?" Yukiko repeated, clearly wanting clarification.

"Yes, and I was hoping one of you may be able to tell me who it might be. Considering I haven't been in town for the past year, well, things may have changed."

The others in the group, minus Yu, who had been gone just as long, exchanged odd, contemplative looks. It was about a minute or so later that Yosuke replied. "I don't really think there's anyone Kanji's particularly close to other than us. Most people still believe in those baseless rumours about him, and are scared he'll beat the shit outta them." He didn't add that he'd once believed in the rumours too, and had also thought the very same thing.

Naoto looked down at the table in front of her in thought. This didn't make any sense. She was sure her friends were going to tell her that Kanji had befriended someone new, who sometimes behaved in an odd manner, and had some negative connection to Kanji. Clearly that wasn't the case. Kanji wasn't going to just pick up some random beer bottle when he didn't drink. Had someone left it in his path perhaps? Left it in front of his home or the Textile Shop entrance, where he had to move it? Possible, but how likely was that?

During Naoto's silence, Teddie had brought up something from the past, causing them all to begin to reminisce. The young detective allowed her mind to wander for once, realizing that if she did so, the answer might appear before her. And she was right, though she didn't realize it just yet.

The entire group was shocked when evening arrived very suddenly. All feeling bad for Kanji, they decided to split up for the day, and Yu asked Naoto if she wanted to come over for dinner. She and Nanako would be able to meet one another, and he would ensure the detective would eat-something he knew she sometimes forgot to do when she got too deep into a case...

"Come in," said Yu, stepping back from and door and allowing her to enter before him, being the gentleman that he was.

"Thank you." Both Naoto and her Senpai slipped off their shoes at the entrance before heading into the main part of the house.

"Welcome home, Big Bro!" exclaimed Nanako. "Oh, hello," she greeted upon seeing Naoto.

The teen smiled. "Hello, Nanako-chan. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great! How're you?"

"I'm fine, thank you." That wasn't exactly true, but the girl was just a child, and there was really no reason to upset her by going into detail. They all knew that Nanako had become rather attached to them.

Some time passed and soon enough the three of them were seated on the floor around the table, ready for dinner. They spoke, all three of them, about many different things, mainly of what had occurred over the past year while they'd all been split up. Nanako however, noticed that Naoto was behaving strangely. The older girl was only speaking when spoken too, unless she asked a question, and also seemed to have a preoccupied look on her face, as if she were thinking about something.

"Nao-chan (Teddie had convinced the little girl to call Naoto that), is something wrong?"

Naoto focused on the child. "I'm surprised you noticed, Nanako-chan. You're a sharp girl." She paused a moment before adding, "Just like your Big Bro."

Nanako beamed, but became serious rather quickly. "So what's wrong?"

The denim capped girl smiled grimly, unsure of how much to say. "I'm working on a case," she began. "One your father is having me do."

"Dad gave it to you?" wondered Nanako.

"Yes..." Naoto didn't want to mention how much Kanji was involved, but she quickly realized something. Perhaps Nanako had some sort of clue that could help her. "Nanako-chan, do you still go shopping alone at Junes?"

Both the little girl and Yu looked at her in confusion, obviously wondering what this question had to do with anything. "I do," replied Nanako, that confusion evident in her voice.

"Have you ever seen Kanji-kun there? Or seen him with someone you don't know? Someone who wasn't friends with us last year?"

"Umm..."

"Think hard, Nanako-chan."

There was a moment of silence as the pink clad child fell into thought, obviously wanting to help, just like most children did. "Oh! I remember now! I _did_ see him!"

**And that's that for now. Three more chapters to be edited before the fic can continue properly. Dunno when the next chapter'll be up. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yo. Pretty sure this chapter's longer than last time. Don't really remember. It's far more detailed though, so that's something.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters...**

Naoto blinked a few times, attempting and failing to conceal her surprise, much like her friend Yu. "You did?"

"Yeah," replied Nanako, nodding enthusiastically. "About a week ago! Dad was coming home early, so he asked me if I could buy something for dinner, and get some pickled relish, since he loves it. I went to Junes on my way home from school and I saw him in the isle with the instant ramen. There was a man with him though, so I didn't say anything."

"Do you remember what this man looked like?" asked the older girl, pulling out her pocket notebook.

"He was kinda tall...and had short, dark brown hair," said Nanko slowly, clearly attempting to remember.

"Was he taller than Kanji?" questioned Yu, who seemed to be trying to help. And it was a pretty good question too, because Kanji was taller than most in the small town.

The child shook her head though. "They were about the same height. Oh!-but he was holding a bottle. I dunno what was in it, but it looked like it was made of glass. It was green too."

The two high school students exchanged a glance, but said nothing. They didn't want Nanako to know what was really happening. Despite her being smarter and far more mature than others her age, she was still just a little girl, and there was no point in worrying her.

"Did that help?"

Naoto smiled. "Yes, Nanako-chan, that was a big help." And it really was, because she now had a lead, vague as it was.

The child beamed, radiating happiness...

Time went by and soon enough it was dark out. Yu decided to walk Naoto home, and both discussed what they had learned as they walked. This entire case was just so strange. After everything they went through last year, none of them had expected one of their own to be suspected for something like murder.

"I really thought all this was done," said Naoto, allowing a bit of the dejection she was feeling to slip through.

"I did too," replied Yu, glad Naoto wasn't keeping everything bottled up inside like she usually did.

"The man Nanako-chan spoke of however, I don't think I have ever seen him in Inaba."

Yu remained silent. He had just seen something gleaming from under the bushes by the shrine. Pointing this out to his friend, he led her over with a frown. They both bent down to see what it was, and stared. It was a gun.

Sharing another glance, Naoto pulled out the gloves she always carried around. She wanted to pick up the gun, put didn't want to risk putting her own fingerprints onto it. She looked around and noted that no one was around, likely because of how late it was. Picking up the weapon, she examined it, aware Yu was watching curiously.

"A nine millimetre handgun," she murmured softly. "It's the same type of gun used on the victims-the Otonashi couple."

Yu seemed surprised to hear that, but was also a little suspicious. After all what were the chances that the gun used to kill the couple Kanji was being framed to have murdered, be found just down the street from his house? He voiced his thoughts to his detective friend.

"I fully agree with you there, Senpai," said Naoto after a moment. "I don't believe in coincidences. Though I can't be positive that this is the same gun until it's been properly analysed." Sighing, she straightened up. "It looks like I'll be heading back to the station sooner than I planned."

"Then let me at least walk you to the bus stop," said Yu, not really wanting to leave his friend alone after the discovery. He was wondering whether the real killer was out there somewhere nearby, watching them. He was glad when Naoto didn't argue with him, and allowed him to accompany her to said bus stop. He waited with her until the bus arrived, then said their good nights.

When Naoto made it to the police station, she headed straight to Dojima's office to show him the gun, unsure of where she needed to go to have it be analysed. If the man was surprised to see the gun, he didn't show it, and simply told her that he'd take care of getting it where it needed to go because the moron's who did the analysis would work faster if it was him, since they were afraid of him.

The girl agreed without fuss, aware the faster the weapon was analysed, the better. Instead, she left the gun with the older man, and decided to pay Kanji another visit, hoping he wasn't asleep yet.

When she entered the room Kanji was in (he'd been moved out of the interrogation room), she found the blond hanging upside down on the bed, head nearly touching the floor. He was clearly bored. His eyes were closed, but he was obviously awake, judging by the way his foot was tapping against the opposite wall.

"...Kanji-kun?"

He straightened up immediately, eyes wide and the faintest of blushes on his cheeks...though that could have been his blood rushing back to where it belonged. "Naoto! You're back already?"

Taking the desk chair, she manoeuvred it so that she could sit down opposite her friend. When she had, she recounted everything that had happened since she'd last spoken to him. There was, as always, a silence after she finished, with Kanji trying to absorb all that had been said. When she figured it had been long enough, she began speaking again.

"Do you know who that man you were talking to that day at Junes was? The one Nanako-chan claimed to have seen?" This man, after all, was the only other suspicious person at the moment.

Kanji thought back, trying to recall the day in question. "Guy said his name was Ryuuga somethin'. Han...Hat...Ne...Hatsune! That's it! Ryuuga Hatsune. Said he was new in town."

Naoto noted the name down immediately, then asked, "Do you recall what you two were speaking about?"

Here, the blond frowned. "...He was askin' about the murder case from last year."

Naoto was actually surprised at this. The case seemed to have quickly become old news, and no one seemed to speak about it any more, which made it odd that someone had actually brought it up. But then again, maybe she was putting too much thought into it. If this man had only just moved into town, he may have simply heard about the previous year's case from someone, and become curious and just wished to know more.

Kanji seemed to be thinking along the same lines, for he said, "I didn't really think about it back then. I mean, I figured he'd just heard about it, y'know?"

The denim capped teen however, frowned. "I...find it rather odd that he decided to approach _you_ out of all the others at Junes." After all, Kanji Tatsumi wasn't exactly the most approachable person out there.

Kanji seemed to know exactly what she was thinking though, for he chuckled lightly, the sound creating an odd fluttering feeling in the girl. "I thought it was weird too," said the blond, unaware of what his friend was feeling. "When he walked up to me and started askin' 'bout all that stuff-it kinda caught me off guard."

Naoto gave a small smile. "I understand how you feel." Becoming serious once more, she asked, "Did he mention anything about Personas or Shadows or the TV world, or anything like that?"

"No," replied the boy immediately, "and I'm pretty sure I'd remember if he did. Guy was mainly interested in the case, and was askin' about the Yamano lady, Saki-senpai, and King Moron. Said he was curious about how they all died, and then started talkin' about all of us."

"Us?" repeated Naoto, looking up from where she'd been jotting down her friends' words.

"Yeah, 'bout how we all went missin' and stuff."

"I see..." The girl frowned, then said, "Was he holding a bottle?"

"Yeah, it was empty. He handed it to me askin' if they sold that brand of booze at Junes."

"Was he wearing gloves?"

Now Kanji frowned in thought. "Now that you mention it...I think he was."

Naoto wrote this down, then looked up in time to see the blond's frown deepen. "What is it?" she asked.

"Do you think this dude's the one framing me?"

"It's quite possible," replied Naoto. "Consider, you may be tall, but you're facial features clearly show that you are underage-legally unable to drink, and neither do you work at Junes. So why would he ask _you_ about the alcohol? You shouldn't know about the different brands, because you shouldn't be drinking in the first place."

While Kanji was usually slow on the uptake, this time, he was quick to pick up what Naoto was trying to get across. "You're thinkin' that for whatever reason, he chose to talk to me, handing me the bottle on purpose just to get my fingerprints on it?"

"Yes."

"But..._why_?"

Naoto sighed deeply. "I don't know, Kanji-kun, and that's exactly what I need to figure out..."

Leaving Kanji a few minutes later because of how late it was getting, Naoto headed home, lost in thought as she summarised the day's events in her mind. The man, if he really was the one framing Kanji like the clues were pointing to, was clever. _This man knows what he's doing..._

**And that's it. Better than last time? *Sigh* Even through editing, I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Anyway, looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Yo…this chapter's short, but here you go…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters…**

While she waited for the ballistics and forensics report to come back on the gun, Naoto decided to meet up with her friends once more. She figured she ought to tell them what she and Seta had found out from Nanako, the gun, and what Kanji had told her. So, she took the long but enjoyable walk over to Junes.

When she got to their Special Headquarters, she was slightly surprised to see them all already sitting there. Yosuke had an apron on, so she assumed he was on break.

"Hey, Naoto-kun," greeted Chie, who was the first to spot the denim capped teen.

"Hello," replied the younger girl, taking a seat between Yosuke and Teddie, which was the only empty seat.

"So...what's new?" asked Teddie.

And just like before, Naoto repeated all the information she had to offer to the rest of the group. They sat there, listening to their friend quietly, deciding to ask questions once she had finished, to save her the trouble of forgetting and repeating things.

"Have any of you ever heard of a man named Ryuuga Hatsune?"

The others all thought for a moment, before simultaneously shaking their heads. Naoto let out a sigh, realizing this wasn't going to be as easy as she had thought.

"Why would this man frame Kanji-kun though?" asked Yukiko.

"I don't know."

Yosuke frowned. "I get him being curious about that case and all...but why go up to Kanji and talk about it? I mean, I was here at Junes that day too, so why not come to me?"

"He could have come to any of us," said Rise. "Yukiko-senpai was at the inn and I was at the tofu shop and Chie-senpai could have been around somewhere...oh, but I went to Junes later on because I needed to get something for my grandma."

"I was here too," said Teddie. "In my bear suit."

"Well, he may not have known it was you," said Yukiko.

"I was at Junes that day as well," said Chie suddenly. "I was buying some steak."

"Why didn't you just get those steak skewers that you always do from the Shopping District?" wondered Yosuke.

The girl shrugged. "It wasn't only for me, so I knew Junes would be cheaper."

"I wasn't at the inn all day," said Yukiko. "I missed school because we got a large reservation and towards the evening, I was sent to Junes on an errand for my mother."

Naoto found this quite intriguing. "You were all at Junes at the same time," she said after a moment. "Yosuke-senpai and Teddie were working, Yukiko-senpai, Chie-senpai, Rise-chan and Kanji-kun were all buying something. Seta-senpai and I weren't in town...and Nanako-chan just happened to go then as well. You were _all_ there... You were _all here_..."

Silence met these words. What was going on?

**Yes, I know, it's _extremely _short, but it just seemed like a good place to stop it…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yo…uh, it's been a while, huh? Sorry about that… This chapter's mainly dialogue, but meh… I wanna thank everyone who has reviewed, faved, followed, alerted this fic. As this is the tenth chapter, I thought I say this...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any of its characters…**

"You also said you found a gun, right?" asked Yosuke, breaking the silence.

"Yes," said Naoto with a nod. "Seta-senpai spotted it near the shrine."

"So...did you get like...fingerprints off it or something?"

"Dojima-san sent the gun to be analyzed," replied the girl. "He said he'd give me a call once the results were in."

"Oh..."

At that moment, Naoto's phone rang and she checked the caller id, before smiling slightly.

"It's Dojima-san," she said to the others. She then answered the phone. "Hello?"

_"Shirogane?"_

"Yes, Dojima-san? Did they find anything?"

_"I'm afraid not. The gun was clean, but it looks as if three shots were fired."_

"Three? I believe the report said a single gunshot wound to the chest for both the victims was the COD. Wouldn't that simply mean two?"

_"Yes, you're right. I'm not sure about the third round."_

"Is it possible it was a miss shot?"

_"Hmm...that could be..."_

"If so, then could it have been lodged in a tree or a building nearby?"

_"Good thinking, Shirogane. I'll check it out and give you a call. Unless you'd like to go yourself?"_

"Well, if it isn't too much trouble..."

_"Not at all. You're investigating this case too, after all. You know the location, right?"_

"Yes sir."

_"Good. Go over there and check it out, but make sure to give me a call if something comes up, alright?"_

"Of course. Thank you Dojima-san."

She hung up a few seconds later and slipped the cell back into her pocket. Upon looking back up, she became aware that everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to tell them what Dojima had said.

"There were no prints on the gun," she informed them.

"Really?"

"No. However..."

And she told them her theory and of what Dojima had said.

"Can we go there then?" asked Chie.

"I...suppose so," said Naoto slowly. "Ah, but Yosuke-senpai, aren't you working right now?"

The brown haired teen shrugged. "It doesn't really matter. I'll just tell my dad I have something to do for school."

"Alright then, we'll be waiting downstairs for you then."

About twenty minutes later, the group arrived at the crime scene.

"Examine the walls and trees nearby," instructed Naoto, "but please do not touch anything. If you see something odd, then let me know."

They all said yes and began to look around carefully.

Naoto kept her eyes on all the walls and other places that the bullet could have gotten lodged into, but also made sure to keep an eye on her friends. It wasn't that she didn't trust them or anything. She just knew that this was new to them. They had never actually investigated a crime scene the same way she had and she needed to make sure they did it correctly, even though Dojima had already said that the rain had washed everything away.

"Nao-chan?" said Teddie a few minutes later.

"Yes, Teddie?"

"Is this something?"

Naoto walked over to him and looked at the mailbox he was pointing at. There was a hole there and she examined it carefully.

"Very good, Teddie," she said. "I think this may be it."

Hearing this, everyone else approached them as well.

"Hmm...it seems as if the bullet may be inside the mailbox though..." _Damn_, thought Naoto. _I need to get inside that mailbox._

Suddenly, the group began to hear whistling. Looking round, they saw a mail carrier approach.

"Hi there!" he greeted cheerfully.

"Hello," they replied politely.

"Is something wrong?" asked the mailman curiously, noticing the way they were all crowded around the mailbox.

"We need to get in there," said Naoto. "We need to see what's inside."

The man now looked rather confused. "Well, there's most likely mail in there," he said, confusion evident in his voice.

Naoto shook her head. "We have reason to believe that there may be a bullet in there as well."

The mailman's eyes widened. "A bullet!?"

"Yes," replied Naoto calmly, while the others all watched. "I don't know if you are aware, but there was a murder here the other day and the victims were killed by getting shot. One of the shots missed and is most likely in there."

The mailman was even more surprised now, but decided to simply comply. "I'll need to open the mailbox anyway, since I gotta grab the mail, so I guess you can take a look."

"Thank you," said Naoto kindly.

The group waited as the man unlocked the box.

"Would you like to look now or after I take the mail out?"

"Now would be better," said Naoto. "It will make it easier to not miss anything."

The mailman nodded, even though he was so clearly confused, and Naoto moved closer. Carefully shuffling through the mail, Naoto attempted to locate the bullet. It had to be in the mailbox somewhere. She had already checked the other side and there was nothing there, meaning the bullet hadn't gone through and through. It was definitely_ in_ the box.

"Ah, here we are," she said, pulling the round out. She looked at it and frowned, confusion flitting across her face.

"What's wrong?" asked Yosuke.

Thanking the mailman, Naoto beckoned to her friends, leading them away from the mailbox. She didn't look at the group, but was still starting at the bullet in confusion.

"Naoto-kun, what is it?" asked Chie.

"This...isn't the same caliber bullet that killed that couple," replied Naoto, finally looking up at her friends. "The gun senpai spotted doesn't use these rounds."

Now the others were confused too.

"But...what does that mean?" wondered Yukiko.

"It means that the killer was either using _two_ guns...or there was another shooter..."

**And, uh, yeah. Thankz to everyone who hasn't abandoned me. Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


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